Just before Christmas we welcomed the arrival of 4 Uromastyx lizards which are better known as the Sahara spiny- tailed lizards! Before their arrival Colchester Zoo was home to one lone male Uromastyx lizard called Spike, so our new arrivals are a fantastic addition to the collection as they become fellow companions.

Our four new arrivals have been off show in quarantine together for the last 6 months after being rescued and donated to us for rehoming but have recently been able to join Spike in the enclosure next to the Rock Pythons at the Kingdom of Wild building!

Recognise the names? The four young lizards have been named by their keepers after the four raptors in the 2015 film 'Jurassic World', Blue, Delta, Echo and Charile. On their first meeting Spike seemed a little surprised to see the new arrivals but they have since settled in well together and are enjoying exploring their new enclosure. 

The Sahara spiny-tailed lizard is a relatively small, slender, long-tailed lizard with light beige to orange ground colour and a pattern of light dots. They are often seen climbing branches but little information is actually known on the ecology of this species in the wild.

The species is considered rare, although it does have a wide distribution. The lizards are also affected by the pet trade, habitat loss and collection for subsistence use for food and for trade for medicine.

Stop by our Kingdom of Wild house to see how our new arrivals are settling in.